Get in touch today 0345 450 5558 enquiries@stephens-scown.co.uk
Andrew Barton
Partner
Andrew Barton

Andrew is a partner specialising in the financial aspects of relationship breakdown. Named as a leader in his field in the Chambers and Partners guide to the legal profession and recommended in Legal 500 UK, Andrew specialises in high value and complex financial work. This includes complicated pension issues, tax and valuation issues, claims against trusts, businesses and farms, inheritance issues and pre-acquired wealth. He acts for a varied and wide range of clients.

Andrew is recognised in the CityWealth Leaders List – an international guide to the most recognised and highly regarded figures in private wealth management for ultra high net worth private clients.

Andrew attended University in Birmingham and qualified as a solicitor in 2003. He is a member of Resolution, an organisation of family law professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes.

His recent work includes:

  • Representing a client on choice of jurisdiction and subsequent financial claims against former spouse
  • Obtaining a worldwide freezing injunction for wife and later securing for her sufficient from those assets to purchase herself a property on divorce
  • Representing the beneficiary of a dynastic trust and partnership against former spouse’s claims
  • Drafting and negotiating a pre-nuptial agreement on a £20m case recording arrangements that would be put in place on divorce
  • Successfully restricting former spouse’s claims against £7m asset pool after long marriage.

Andy’s personal testimonials:

Chambers and Partners (2024) – “He is one of the leading family solicitors in Exeter.” “He is a powerhouse. He is calm, focused, firm and compassionate. His paramount concern is his client’s best interest. He is incisive and an out-of-the-box thinker.” “I have nothing but praise for his mental acuity, imaginative solutions, efficiency and sound advice.”

Chambers and Partners (2023)“Andrew is a good lawyer and a pleasure to deal with.” “He is technically good.”

Legal 500 (2023)“Andrew Barton is the standout. He gets excellent work and does it very well. He is hardworking and runs the team very well.”

Chambers and Partners (2022)“Andrew Barton took a genuine interest in my case, and his ability to guide me through that process was pretty remarkable. He provided a human element to what can often be seen as a financial transaction.” “He is approachable and understands the impact of business issues on divorce.”

“Andrew and his team provided me with the honest and dignified approach to divorcing my husband that I was looking for. He did not try to needlessly point score and treated both my husband and I in an extremely professional way throughout the process. I would have no hesitation in recommending Andrew to anyone looking to exit their relationship with their dignity intact.”

Private Client, June 2021

Chambers and Partners (2021) – advises on financial remedy proceedings arising from divorce and frequently assists with mandates involving farming assets and international issues. One source enthuses: “He is very good with clients, is hard-working and he always gives clear advice.”

Chambers and Partners (2020) – Clients consider him to be “absolutely fantastic,” with one remarking: “Andrew has been perfect in a stressful situation thanks to his straightforwardness and the way he has approached things at every point in a fact-based and very practical way, which is exactly what I needed.”

Legal 500 (2020) – is “technically excellent” and “isn’t afraid to take an inventive approach to litigate or settle cases and ensure the best for his clients”; he has a strong practice in financial cases involving international assets, financial provision following a foreign divorce and jurisdiction issues. Senior associate and “exceptionally hard-working solicitor.”

Chambers and Partners (2019) – an experienced practitioner representing clients in complex divorce settlements. He also advises on inherited wealth, pensions and trusts. Sources describe him as being “always calm, fantastically efficient, having a great knowledge of the law and understanding particularly technical points,” before going on to note: “He is particularly good at dealing with complex pension and business issues.”

“I feel fortunate that the failings of my previous solicitor led me to instruct you in the matter of my divorce – I do not think it would have reached as clean and fair a resolution for both parties had you not undertaken this work on my behalf. I very much appreciate the considered advice you provided and the resulting positive outcome for my family and I, despite the difficult situation and personalities involved”.

Private Client, January 2018

Legal 500 (2018) – is “a fantastically energetic and efficient solicitor with excellent technical and legal knowledge and an ability to think outside the box.”

Chambers and Partners (2018) – Andrew is noted for his work on high net worth financial cases, with a special focus on prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Impressed clients describe him as “the consummate, unflappable professional.”

 

Outside of work, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, cycling and playing modern jazz piano.

 

Insights
View all articles by Andrew Barton